Gas heater



Patented Mar. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE B. Lewis, Phillips Petroleum Delaware lltown, Iowa, assignors to Company, a corporation of Application March 28, 1938, Serial No. 198,517

SOIaims.

This invention relates to gas heaters and more particularly to heaters to be used in the vicinity of railroad switches, railroad car retarders, and the like, whereby ice and snow formations will be quickly melted.

An important object of this invention is to provide a heating device which will aiford complete combustion within the combustion chamber.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a gas heater for railroad switches, railroad car retarders, and the like which will not be extinguished by passing trains.

Another important object of this inventon is to provide a heater whereby efllcient heat distribution and transfer are attained.

An additional important object of this invention-is to provide a heating device which is small in overall size, compact in design, rugged in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a heater which is adapted to be readily mounted on railroad ties or on or in ballast at the desired propinquity to the areas to be heated.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and annexed drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section view of the heating device proper;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the heater illustrated in Fig. 1, and showing another form of support;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation view of two types of heater installation; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the installations shown in elevation in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, suitable fuel gas is supplied to our device through fuel conduit I which is in communication with union connector 2. 7

At the forward end of said union connector 2 is attached a nozzle or injector 3 which is located in a pre-mix chamber 4, said chamber being provided with one or more air admission openings 5. Surrounding said pre-mix chamber 4 and having one end open to the atmosphere is a shielding sleeve 6 which excludes wind, dust, dirt, snow, ice or other foreign matter from said premix chamber. Air from the outside is inspirated by the action of injector 3, through the open end of shielding sleeve 6, through air admission openings 5, and thence into pre-mix chamber 4. Air thus entering the pre-mix chamber is agitated and thoroughly mixed with the fuel gas injected through the nozzle 3. All of the air required for complete combustion of the fuel gas is inspirated as primary air through said air admission openings 5, and there is no need for any secondary aeration for our heater to operate successfully and emciently.

The gas and air mixture passes through nipple I and reducer 9, connected thereto, into a combustion chamber Ill. concentrically mounted on said nipple and adjacent to the open end of shielding sleeve 6 is a ring 8 which minimizes air pressure disturbances or vacua, created by passing trains, from effecting the normal operation of the heater.

As shown in Fig. 3, said combustion chamber i0 is tubular in design. While this is our preferred embodiment of combustion chamber, we do not care to limit ourselves to any particular style or shape. Along the bottom of said combustion chamber it are a number of drainage ports II which permit moisture to escape there-- from. The end of the combustion chamber opposite the nozzle end is provided with a cap end member ii for sealing purposes. Obviously, this end may be sealed oil by any commonly known type of closure. The products of combustion are emitted through suitable apertures l3. While the apertures l3 illustrated in the drawing are circular in shape, we do not intend to limit ourselves to this particular type since it is evident that they may be of any desired configuration. The pre-mixed fuel gas and air is ignited through one or more openings indicated by reference numeral I4. With full aeration taking place in the pre-mix chamber, complete combustion of the fuel mixture occurs in the combustion chamber and substantially all the products of combustion are emitted through the aforementioned apertures. Located over the apertures and supported by suitable spacers I5 is a hood l6 which may be of any desired shape. This hood is fastened to said spacers by nuts ll.

Figs. 4 and 5 demonstrate two methods of installing our heating device so that the same will be in proper propinquity to the areas to be heated.

One method contemplates employing a tie-rod arrangement wherein links I8 and I9 are pivotally connected at 20. Link [8 is also aflixed to the heater through the cooperation of spacers l5 and nuts l'l. Links l9 are provided with one or more holes 2| for attachment to railroad ties 22. It is to be noted that with this link arrangement, the heater is capable of being mounted to a single railroad tie or it may be supported partly by one tie and partly by an adjacent tie by simply swinging either pair of links. In addition to permitting convenience in mounting, said linkagesprevent the heater from being installed too closely to the ties.

The other illustrated method of installing our heating device is by means of two pair of legs 23, which are fixedly attached to the combustion chamber. The ends of said legs are designed to rest in or on the ballast. In practice, the legs of this ballast type mounting may be constructed with sufficient spread to insure the heater being placed at a safe distance from the ties. It is apparent that with either type of heater mounting described, the hood can be placed in close proximity to the base of rails 24.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention, herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A railroad heater comprising a fuel conduit, a pre-mix chamber, a gas injector in said premix chamber, an opening in said pre-mix chamber for the admission of air, means for protecting said pre-mix chamber from air pressure disturbances, a combustion chamber, apertures in said combustion chamber for the emission of products of combustion, a hood located above the aforementioned apertures in spaced relation to said combustion chamber, and means for supporting said combustion chamber in desired proximity to rails.

2. A railroad heater comprising a gas fuel conduit, a pre-mix chamber, a gas injector in said pre-mix chamber, an opening in said pre-mix chamber for the admission of air, a shielding sleeve surrounding said'pre-mix chamber, a baiile adjacent said shielding sleeve, a combustion chamber in communication with said pre-mix chamber, apertures in said combustion chamber for the emission of products of combustion, a hood located above said apertures in spaced relation to said combustion chamber, and means for supporting said combustion chamber in desired propinquity to rails.

3. A railroad heater comprising a fuel conduit, a pre-mix chamber, a gas injector insaid pre-mix chamber, an opening in said pre-mix chamber for the admission of air, a sleeve surrounding said pre-mix chamber, means cooperating with said sleeve to protect said pre-mix chamber from air pressure disturbances, a combustion chamber, apertures in said combustion chamber for the emission of products of combustion, a hood located above the aforementioned apertures in spaced relation to said combustion chamber, and means for supporting said combustion chamber in desired proximity to rails.

4. A railroad heater comprising a gas fuel conduit, a pre-mix chamber, a gas injector in said pre-mix chamber, an opening in said pre-mix chamber for the admission of air, a shielding sleeve surrounding said pre-mix chamber, a bafile adjacent said shielding sleeve, a combustion chamber in communication with said pre-mix chamber, apertures in said combustion chamber for the emission of products of combustion, a hood located above said apertures in spaced relation to said combustion chamber, and link means for supporting said combustion chamber in desired propinquity torails.

5. A railroad heater comprising a gas fuel conduit, a pre-mix chamber, a gas injector in said pre-mix chamber, an opening in said pre-mix chamber for the admission of air, a shielding sleeve surrounding said pre-mix chamber, a battle adjacent said shielding sleeve, a combustion chamber in communication with said pre-mix chamber, apertures in said combustion chamber for the emission of products of combustion, a hood located above said apertures in spaced relation to said combustion chamber, and legs for supporting said combustion chamber in desired propinquity to rails.

ALLEN D. KRUGLER.

KENNETH R. LEWIS. 

